More Haworth students taking high school level math class

HAWORTH — More eighth grade students are taking algebra in the Haworth School District thanks to extra help from teachers, allowing those students a better chance to take advanced mathematics classes, such as college-level calculus, when they reach high school.

In 2010-2011, 29 percent of eighth-graders took algebra, which is normally a ninth-grade level course, Superintendent Maria Nuccetelli said. In 2013-2014, Nuccetelli said, 55 percent of eighth-graders took algebra.

"The whole idea is that by taking the ninth-grade course in the eighth-grade, it allows the students room in the schedule to take advanced placement classes," Nuccetelli said. "Student performance reports look at algebra as a predictor of college readiness."

The district has taken extra steps to make sure the students succeed, including offering extra help from teachers, allowing any students who are interested to take the class, and identifying students who officials think should take algebra early so they can be prepared.

Paul Wolford, the assistant principal at the Haworth Public School, said students can get a half hour of extra help for math if they want in the mornings.

"If students still want afterschool help, the teachers are there for them as well," he said.

Principal Deborah Wunder said there is no cap on the numbers of students who take algebra as eight-graders. Borough officials said there is a concerted effort to allow all those who want to take it to take it as well as providing outside extra help.

Nuccetelli said the students taking algebra are identified in the first six weeks of the school year and a team of teachers in the eighth grade work on helping to get these students an early start.

"We track these students," she said.

The extra effort on algebra has led to success in the high school, officials said.

"Ninety percent of these eighth graders [who took algebra] received an A or B in math as a freshman first marking period," Nuccetelli said, based on report cards of freshman at Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest from Haworth, which the Haworth district follows up on.

Board President Warren Sutnick said the eighth-grade algebra classes in Haworth are part of the district’s program to prepare students for mathematics and give them the possibility of taking advanced mathematics their senior year.

"Every high-performing district is always trying to have kids placed into algebra in the eighth- grade," Sutnick said.

Demarest Superintendent Christopher Nagy said as it pertains to all students in the Northern Valley, those students who take algebra in the eighth-grade would be in position take AP Calculus in high school

The Board of Education in Haworth has made it a goal to have eighth-graders excel in algebra and get that jump start towards success at the high school, Sutnik said.

Sutnick said two board members attended a New Jersey School Boards Conference where a presenter from the Readington School District discussed their mathematics program and the benefits of having eighth-graders take algebra.

Sutnick credited much of the success to teachers like eighth-grade mathematics teacher Ron Cuneo.

"He’s a seasoned teacher who has been in the district for many years," Sutnick said. "Much of the success is because of him. He’s the driving force behind increasing the eighth-graders taking algebra."

Nuccetelli credited both Cuneo and mathematics teacher Karen Foglio.

"Both of them make themselves available in the morning for extra help," Nuccetelli said.